1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remix apparatus and method that generate new musical tone pattern data by dividing previously generated musical tone pattern data into a plurality of musical tone data (each musical tone data will be hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cmusical tone piece dataxe2x80x9d) and combining together the musical tone piece data obtained by the division, and a storage medium storing a program for implementing the method, and also relates to a slice apparatus and method that generates further new musical tone pattern data by cutting off a part of each of the plural musical tone piece data obtained by the division, and a storage medium storing a program for implementing the method.
2. Prior Art
A remix apparatus for generating new musical tone pattern data from previously generated musical tone pattern data is already known, for example, from Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 11-344976.
This remix apparatus divides previously generated and stored musical tone pattern data into a plurality of musical tone piece data and then rearranges the individual musical tone piece data obtained by the division, based on random numbers, thereby generating new musical tone pattern data.
This conventional remix apparatus, however, does not generate new musical tone pattern data in real time, that is, executes generation of new musical tone pattern data independently of reproduction thereof. Thus, further new musical tone pattern data cannot be generated during reproduction of the generated new musical tone pattern data.
Similarly to this conventional remix apparatus, conventional slice apparatuses do not generate new musical tone pattern data in real time. Thus, further new musical tone pattern data cannot be generated during reproduction of the generated new musical tone pattern data.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a remix apparatus and method and slice apparatus and method which are capable of generating new musical tone pattern data from previously generated musical tone pattern data in real time, and storage media storing programs for implementing these methods.
To attain the above object, in a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remix apparatus comprising a first storage device that stores musical tone pattern data of a predetermined length, a dividing device that divides the stored musical tone pattern data of the predetermined length into a plurality of musical tone piece data of a length smaller than the predetermined length, a second storage device that stores location information indicative of locations in the first storage device where the musical tone piece data obtained by the division are stored, a third storage device that stores a plurality of types of rearrangement information for use in rearranging the musical tone piece data obtained by the division, an operating element device that allows a user to select one of the stored plurality of types of rearrangement information, a supplying device that supplies the location information on the musical tone piece data such that the musical tone piece data are rearranged in an order indicated by the rearrangement information selected by the user using the operating element device, and a reproducing device that sequentially reproduces the musical tone piece data in an order indicated by the supplied location information.
Preferably, the remix apparatus according to the first aspect further comprises a control information generating device that generates control information for controlling a reproduction manner of reproducing the musical tone piece data by the reproducing device, and a control device that controls the reproduction manner according to the generated control information.
For example, the control information provides such control that at least one of the musical tone piece data in a position of a predetermined ordinal number is reproduced in a reverse direction.
The control information may provide such control that at least one of the musical tone piece data in a position of a predetermined ordinal number is not reproduced.
The control information may provide such control that at least one of the musical tone piece data in a position of a predetermined ordinal number is reproduced while being subjected to a predetermined effect process.
The control information may provide such control that at least one of the musical tone piece data in a position of a predetermined ordinal number is reproduced while being subjected to a low fidelity process.
The control information may provide such control that at least one of the musical tone piece data in a position of a predetermined ordinal number is reproduced with at least one of volume and pitch thereof varied.
The first aspect of the present invention further provides a remix method comprising a first storing step of storing musical tone pattern data of a predetermined length in a first storage device, a dividing step of dividing the stored musical tone pattern data of the predetermined length into a plurality of musical tone piece data of a length smaller than the predetermined length, a second storing step of storing location information indicative of locations in the first storage device where the musical tone piece data obtained by the division are stored, in a second storage device, a third storing step of storing a plurality of types of rearrangement information for use in rearranging the musical tone piece data obtained by the division. in a third storage device, a supplying step of supplying the location information on the musical tone piece data such that the musical tone piece data are rearranged in an order indicated by the rearrangement information selected by the user using an operating element device that allows a user to select one of the stored plurality of types of rearrangement information, and a reproducing step of sequentially reproducing the musical tone piece data in an order indicated by the supplied location information, as well as a machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions for causing a machine to execute the remix method.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, musical tone pattern data of a predetermined length stored in a first storage device is divided into a plurality of musical tone piece data of a length smaller than the predetermined length, and location information indicative of locations in the first storage device where the musical tone piece data obtained by the division are stored is stored in a second storage device. When a user selects one of plural types of stored rearrangement information, the location information on the musical tone piece data is supplied such that the musical tone piece data are rearranged in an order indicated by the selected rearrangement information and the musical tone piece data are sequentially reproduced in an order indicated by the supplied location information, that is, the musical tone piece data are rearranged based on the location information which requires a small amount of data to be controlled. Therefore, new musical tone pattern data can be generated from previously generated musical tone pattern data in real time.
To attain the above object, in a second aspect of the present invention, there are provided a remix apparatus comprising a storage device that stores predetermined pattern data of a predetermined length, a reproducing device that reproduces the stored musical tone pattern data in a manner such that when reproduction of the stored musical tone pattern data proceeds to a trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, it is returned to a leading position of the musical tone pattern data to continue reproduction, an operating element device that is operated by a user, an accepting device that accepts operating element information generated by a user by operating the operating element device at an intermediate position between the leading position and the trailing position of the musical tone pattern data when the reproduction of the musical tone pattern data stored in the storage device is being carried out at the intermediate position between the leading position and the trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, a control information generating device that generates control information for controlling a manner of the reproduction based on the accepted operating element information, in timing when the reproduction starts to return to the leading position of the musical tone pattern data upon proceeding to the trailing position thereof, and a control device that controls the manner of the reproduction based on the generated control information, and a remix apparatus comprising a storage device that stores predetermined pattern data of a predetermined length, a reproducing device that reproduces the stored musical tone pattern data in a manner such that when reproduction of the stored musical tone pattern data proceeds to a trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, it is returned to a leading position of the musical tone pattern data to continue reproduction, an operating element device that is operated by a user, an accepting device that accepts operating element information generated by a user by operating the operating element device at an intermediate position between the leading position and the trailing position of the musical tone pattern data when the reproduction of the musical tone pattern data stored in the storage device is being carried out at the intermediate position between the leading position and the trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, a control information generating device that generates control information for controlling a manner of the reproduction based on the accepted operating element information, in timing when the reproduction starts to return to the leading position of the musical tone pattern data upon proceeding to the trailing position thereof, and a control device that controls the manner of the reproduction based on the generated control information, as well as a machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions for causing a machine to execute the remix method.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, when reproduction of musical tone pattern data stored in a storage device is being carried out at an intermediate position between a leading position and a trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, operating element information generated by a user by operating an operating element device at the intermediate position is accepted, and in timing when the reproduction starts to return to the leading position of the musical tone pattern data upon proceeding to the trailing position thereof, control information for controlling a manner of the reproduction is generated based on the accepted operating element information. Thus, the manner of the reproduction can be controlled based on the generated control information. Therefore, the manner of the current reproduction can be easily compared with the manner of the next reproduction to allow the user to more easily operate the apparatus.
To attain the above object, in a third aspect of the present invention, there are provided a remix apparatus comprising a first storage device that stores musical tone pattern data of a predetermined length, a dividing device that divides the stored musical tone pattern data of the predetermined length into a plurality of musical tone piece data of a length smaller than the predetermined length, a second storage device that stores location information indicative of locations in the first storage device where the musical tone piece data obtained by the division are stored, a third storage device that stores a plurality of types of rearrangement information for use in rearranging the musical tone piece data obtained by the division, an operating element device that allows a user to select one of the plurality of types of stored rearrangement information, a supplying device that supplies the location information on the musical tone piece data such that the musical tone piece data are rearranged in an order indicated by the rearrangement information selected by the user using the operating element device, a reproducing device that sequentially reproduces the musical tone piece data in an order indicated by the supplied location information in a manner such that when the reproduction proceeds to a trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, it is returned to a leading position of the musical tone pattern data to continue reproduction, and an accepting device that accepts the rearrangement information selected by a user by operating the operating element device at an intermediate position between the leading position and the trailing position of the musical tone pattern data when the reproduction of the musical tone piece data stored in the storage device is being carried out at the intermediate position between the leading position and the trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, wherein the supplying device supplies the location information on the musical tone piece data such that the musical tone piece data are arranged in the order indicated by the accepted rearrangement information, in timing when the reproduction starts to return to the leading position of the musical tone pattern data upon proceeding to the trailing position thereof, a remix method comprising a first storing step of storing musical tone pattern data of a predetermined length in a first storage device, a dividing step of dividing the stored musical tone pattern data of the predetermined length into a plurality of musical tone piece data of a length smaller than the predetermined length, a second storing step of storing location information indicative of locations in the first storage device where the musical tone piece data obtained by the division are stored, in a second storage device, a third storing step of storing a plurality of types of rearrangement information for use in rearranging the musical tone piece data obtained by the division, in a third storage device, a supplying step of supplying the location information on the musical tone piece data such that the musical tone piece data are rearranged in an order indicated by the rearrangement information selected by the user using an operating element device that allows a user to select one of the plurality of types of stored rearrangement information, a reproducing step of sequentially reproducing the musical tone piece data in an order indicated by the supplied location information in a manner such that when reproduction of the musical tone piece data proceeds to a trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, it is returned to a leading position of the musical tone pattern data to continue reproduction, and an accepting step of accepting the rearrangement information selected by a user by operating the operating element device at an intermediate position between the leading position and the trailing position of the musical tone pattern data when the reproduction of the musical tone pattern data stored in the storage device is being carried out at the intermediate position between the leading position and the trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, wherein the supplying device supplies the location information on the musical tone piece data such that the musical tone piece data are arranged in the order indicated by the accepted rearrangement information, in timing when the reproduction starts to return to the leading position of the musical tone pattern data upon proceeding to the trailing position thereof, as well as a machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions for causing a machine to execute the remix method.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, musical tone pattern data of a predetermined length stored in a first storage device is divided into a plurality of musical tone piece data of a length smaller than the predetermined length, and location information indicative of locations in the first storage device where the musical tone piece data obtained by the division are stored is stored in a second storage device. When a user selects one of plural types of stored rearrangement information, the location information on the musical tone piece data is supplied such that the musical tone piece data are rearranged in an order indicated by the selected rearrangement information. When reproduction of the musical tone pattern data performed in an order indicated by the supplied location information is carried out at an intermediate position between a leading position and a trailing position of the musical tone pattern data, the rearrangement information selected by the user by operating an operating element device at the intermediate position is accepted, and in timing when the reproduction starts to return to the leading position of the musical tone pattern data upon proceeding to the trailing position thereof, the location information on the musical tone piece data is supplied such that the musical tone piece data are rearranged in an order indicated by the accepted rearrangement information. That is, the musical tone piece data are rearranged based on the location information which requires a small amount of data to be controlled, and the current rearrangement can be easily compared with the next rearrangement, based on the location information which requires a small amount of data to be controlled. Therefore, new musical tone piece data can be generated from previously generated musical tone pattern data in real time, and the user can more easily operate the apparatus.
To attain the above object, in a fourth aspect of the present invention, there are provided a slice apparatus comprising a first storage device that stores musical tone pattern data of a predetermined length, a second storage device that stores a plurality of types of division information for dividing the stored musical tone pattern data of the predetermined length into a plurality of musical tone piece data of a length smaller than the predetermined length, a first operating element that selects one of the stored plurality of types of division information, a dividing device that divides the stored musical tone pattern data of the predetermined length into the plurality of musical tone piece data based on the division information selected by the first operating element, a second operating element that is used to input rate information indicative of a rate of each of the musical tone piece data obtained by the division, to be reproduced, and a reproducing device that reproduces each of the musical tone piece data by a length corresponding to the rate information input by the second operating element, and a slice method comprising a first storing step of storing musical tone pattern data of a predetermined length in a first storage device, a second storing step of storing a plurality of types of division information for dividing the stored musical tone pattern data of the predetermined length into a plurality of musical tone piece data of a length smaller than the predetermined length, in a second storage device, a dividing step of dividing the stored musical tone pattern data of the predetermined length into the plurality of musical tone piece data based on the division information selected by a first operating element that selects one of the stored plurality of types of division information, and a reproducing step of reproducing each of the musical tone piece data by a length corresponding to rate information indicative of a rate of each of the musical tone piece data obtained by the division, to be reproduced, input by a second operating element, as well as a machine-readable storage medium containing a group of instructions for causing a machine to execute the slice method.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, musical tone pattern data stored in a first storage device is divided into a plurality of musical tone piece data based on division information selected, using a first manipulator, from plural types of division information stored in the second storage device, and the musical tone piece data obtained by the division are each reproduced by a length corresponding to rate information input using a second manipulator. That is, the musical tone piece data obtained by the division based on the division information which requires a small amount of data to be controlled are each reproduced by a length corresponding to the rate information, thus enabling new musical tone pattern data to be generated from previously generated musical tone pattern data in real time.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.